Repository: Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University

Title: Shenandoah Local History Collection, 1791-1900

Collection No.:SC 5055

Creator: Christina Bolgiano

Extent: 1 flat box

Language: English

Abstract: This collection contains many different documents pertaining to the local history of the Shenandoah Valley during the nineteenth century. There are photos, land grants, family papers, church meeting minutes, and autograph albums.

Processing Information: The Minutes of Quarterly Conferences for Rockingham Circuit Begun at a Camp Meeting of the United Methodist Church, Harrisonburg were added to the collection in February of 2013.

Bio/Historical Note: The Shenandoah Valley, located between the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains, has had a rich history. While the Civil War is the most nationally prominent event to occur in the Valley, the Shenandoah Local History Collection provides insight into daily life within this area during the nineteenth century.

Scope and Content: The Shenandoah Local History Collection, 1791-1900, consists of a canvas bag, a loan from the Confederate States of America, one unissued stock for the Newmarket & Sperryville Turnpike Company, two floral albums, four land grants, five photographs of Bridgewater, VA, Minutes of Quarterly Conferences for Rockingham Circuit Begun at a Camp Meeting of the United Methodist Church, Harrisonburg, the account book and accompanying papers of Robert Grattan, and the Chew Collection. There are nine series in this collection:

Series I contains a canvas bag circa, perhaps a printer's bag or an educational tool. This bag has 22 pouches sewn onto a rectangular piece of fabric. Each pouch has one or more letters printed on it. There is some ink staining on the bag.

Series II contains a loan from the Confederate States of America valued at $1000 issued on February 20, 1865. It was printed in Richmond, Virginia by Archer & Daly and has seven coupons, each worth $35 for six months interest, attached to the bottom of the bond.

Series III contains an unissued stock for the Newmarket & Sperryville Turnpike Company. This company was incorporated by the Virginia Legislature in 1848. Its modern alignment is U.S. Route 11 and is also known as Lee Highway. The stock itself was engraved by the firm Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edison from New York which was one of the most prominent engraving firms in nineteenth century America.

Series IV consists of two floral albums. Such albums became popular in America during the nineteenth century and were designed so that friends and family members could inscribe blank pages with drawings, poems, prayers, or letters dedicated to the albums owner.

The first album is dedicated to Miss Sarah Ann Cornelia Maupin spanning a period of time from 1850 through 1860. In 1852 she married David Gwin McClung and the dedications of each entry change from “To Miss Sarah A.C. Maupin” to “Miss Sarah A.C. McClung.”

The second album was dedicated to Miss Mary Jane O’Brian on Feb. 3, 1856 and runs through 1880. Her last name is sometimes spelled as “O’Bryan” and she is sometimes referred to as Mollie.

Series V is a collection of four land grants that confer land within Rockingham county to four separate individuals. The oldest deed lists Frederick Fraley as the recipient of land and it is dated 1791. The next deeds are for John Hite in 1798, Henry Bolton in 1835, and James Bolton in 1846.

Series VI holds five black and white photographs of Bridgewater, Virginia. These images show an old woolen mill, fields with the town behind them, two men in a carriage by the river, the river with fields and the town on either side, and one unidentified photo of a street in winter. They were identified in 1985 by local historian C. E. May.

Series VII is made up of xeroxed copies of the “Minutes of Quarterly Conferences for Rockingham Circuit Begun at a Camp Meeting” of the United Methodist Church in Harrisonburg. It is dated 1815 August 25-29 although the minutes run through 1822 September 30. Some of the recurring names in this document are Peachey Harrison, Reuben Harrison, Joseph Thornton, and William Cravens. Their business deals with establishing locations for more camp meetings and they spend a good deal of time talking about slavery and emancipation. There is a treatise on slavery on beginning on page 35-37. Pages 51-52, 55-56 are missing.

Series VIII contains xeroxed copies of a letter dated February 16, 1857 from Lizzie to Willie, several receipts of work and sale, as well as some newspaper clippings. The largest portion of this series is a xeroxed copy of Robert Grattan’s account book which was begun in April 1798 and has entries through 1817.

Series IX encompasses xeroxed copies of the Chew Collection from Waynesboro, VA. All of the papers relate to William Morgan Chew who was a prominent grocer in Waynesboro, VA. The collection contains many business letters, bills and receipts. It also has many documents referring to his membership in the Knights of Honor. There are also several letters from a Presbyterian minister Rev. Fleming to William Chew repeatedly declining a pastoral position.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in nine series:

Printer’s Bag

Confederate States of America Loan

Unissued stock in Newmarket & Sperryville Turnpike Company

Floral Albums

Land Grants

Photographs of Bridgewater, VA

Minutes of Quarterly Conferences for Rockingham Circuit Begun at a Camp Meeting

Robert Grattan Papers

Chew Collection

Contents:

Series

Title

Date

Box

Folder

I

Canvas Bag

c. 1846

1

1

II

Confederate States of America Loan

1865

1

2

III

Unissued Stock in Newmarket & Sperryville Turnpike Company

c. 1848

1

3

IV

Floral Albums

Miss Sarah Ann Cornelia Maupin

1850-1860

1

4

Miss Mary Jane O’Brian

1853-1880

1

4

V

Land Grants

Frederick Fraley

1791

1

5

John Hite

1798

1

5

Henry Bolton

1836

1

5

James Bolton

1846

1

5

VI

Photographs of Bridgewater

Old Woolen Mill

1

6

Fields with the Town Behind them

1

6

Two Men in a Carriage by the River

1

6

The River with Fields and the Town of either side

1

6

One Unidentified Photo of a Street in Winter

1

6

VII

Minutes of Quarterly Conferences for Rockingham Circuit Begun at a Camp Meeting of the United Methodist Church, Harrisonburg